Tanabata, Stretching Across the Starry Night

It’s this time of the year again, Tanabata! An important festival that has existed in Japan since the ancient past, it is one of the five important annual ceremonies held in Japan. People write their wishes on tanzaku (small pieces of paper), and hang them on bamboo while wishing upon the stars. Many children do this in school from kindergarten as well. There are many theories as to how this festival came about. The few famous ones would be where a maiden sewed a kimono and offered it to the gods, and another about the meeting of the deities, Orihime and Hikoboshi, and not forgetting the theory that it originated from Qi Xi, The Festival to Plead for Skills, celebrated in China. Regardless of which theory it is, all the proposed origins are spiritual. Today, let us bring you a special feature on the romantic traditional celebration in Japan, Tanabata. Enjoy!